The invention concerns an armored combat vehicle, especially a military tank, with at least one entry-and-exit hatchway in the top that closes with a hatch completely covering it.
The hatches in known armored vehicles are unbolted, lifted, and pivoted or folded up and down. Since contemporary combat vehicles must be securely protected against missiles, their hatches are very heavy. The weight is even greater when the vehicle's armor is thick enough to resist threats from the sky. In the latter case the hatch can be heavy enough to considerably complicate the mechanism that opens and closes it.
Dividing a hatch into two components that differ in bulk and function is known. The upper component, which includes most of the mass and is responsible for protecting the vehicle, is neither lifted nor pivoted, but slides parallel with the plane of closure. The second component, which is less massive, moves perpendicular to the closure plane and, when the hatchway is closed, assumes the task of sealing it off.
This hatch occupies a lot of space, and it takes a relatively long time to open and close the hatchway.